Idiomatic Speech
They aren’t given any special type of categorical name but rather just pop up freely as though such as the way these saying do naturally to our real world. The invented fictional world in which the story takes place cannot easily fall back upon the wealth of literature produced in our world and therefore the author is called upon to put into the mouths and thoughts of his characters proverbial idiomatic wisdom that one can still interpret enough though it is not framed as something familiar. The language here is woefully incomplete, but the metaphorical meaning is still easily enough translated:
“A spoonful of hope and a cup of despair”
Zoomorphism
Another type of metaphorical imagery that shows up a lot in this series is personification, in which a non-human animal or object is endowed with human qualities. Equally prevalent—maybe even slightly more so—is the use of zoomorphism where a human behavior or action is compared to that of an animal.
“She had a temper like a boar caught in briars at the best,” Birgitte said softly to no one in particular.
Mining for Context
"Rand al'Thor. A man who can channel." The words left Elaida's mouth like a whip. They made her own stomach knot up till she feared she might vomit. Somehow she kept her face smooth and pressed on, pushed the words out, stones from a sling.
What meaning can be mined from the contextual clues surrounding the metaphorical imagery in this excerpt. It occurs very early in the novel and the context is abundantly clear to anyone who has been reading the previous books, but this excerpt presents a pretty good opportunity to quickly glean some type of meaning when nothing else is known for sure. For instance, one need not know exactly what it is to “channel” to realize from the metaphorical reaction that it is not something a man would be expected to do. Nor is it difficult to figure out that whoever this Elaida may be, she is not at all happy that Rand has somehow transgressed the apparent laws of nature.
Darkness
Darkness is the all-consuming, all-being, omnipresent metaphor defining the modern age. It shows more often in the fiction since the end of the 19th century than any other single image. And it is pervasive throughout this novel and the series. But the ultimate utilization may be its most ironic appearance as the description of the character who is nothing less than the central hero of series:
“We are alike in many ways, you and I. There is darkness in us. Darkness, pain, death. They radiate from us. If ever you love a woman, Rand, leave her and let her find another. It will be the best gift you can give her.”
Men and Women
Metaphorical distinctions between the fundamental character of the two sexes and how they diverge is a staple of the novel. In fact, an impressive catalogue could be compiled just from the philosophizing over this issue of divergence:
"A man is an oak, a woman a willow," the saying ran. The oak fought the wind and was broken, while the willow bent when it must and survived.”
